1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a compatible disk device capable of compatibly playing a first disk such as a minidisk (MD) which is stored in a cartridge, and a second disk such as a compact disk (CD) which is not stored in a cartridge. In particular, the present invention relates to a compatible disk device with a mechanism for displacing a clamp or a turntable, which rotates the second disk, to a position free from interference with the first disk at the time of loading and playing it.
2. Description of the Prior Art
[Prior Art 1]
FIG. 1(A) to FIG. 1(C) show the structure of a first conventional MDCD compatible disk device as disclosed for example in JP-A-7-220355. FIG. 1(A) is a front view showing the internal structure of the compatible disk device with an MD as a first disk which is inserted into the device. FIG. 1(B) is a front view showing the internal structure of the compatible disk device with the MD shown in FIG. 1(A) which is loaded to a playing position. FIG. 1(C) is a front view showing the internal structure of the compatible disk device with a CD as a second disk, which is loaded to a playing position.
In the figures, reference numeral 1 denotes a base of the compatible disk device, 2 is a housing, 3 is a sub-base which can be moved up and down by an elevator motor M in the housing 2. A spindle motor 4 for rotating the first disk A or the second disk B is fixed on a central portion of the sub-base 3. A first turntable 5 is fixed co-axially on the spindle motor 4 in order to determine the position of a central hole of the first disk A stored in a cartridge C and to rotatably drive the first disk A which is supported by a supporting face (not shown). 6 is an optical pickup which can reciprocate on the sub-base 3 in a radial direction of the first disk A or the second disk B to perform reading of information with respect to the first disk A or the second disk B. 7 is a second turntable which determines the position of the central hole of the second disk B not stored in the cartridge C and rotatably drives the second disk B supported by a supporting face (not shown). 8 is a retaining member which retains the second turntable 7. The retaining member 8 cooperates with the second turntable 7 to retain the second disk B. The retaining member 8 is supported to the housing 2 by use of a shock absorber. 9 is a clamp holder which retains the clamp 10 for clamping the second disk B placed on the second turntable 7. The clamp holder 9 and the clamp 10 can be elevated with respect to the second turntable 7. When the first disk A is in a loaded mode, they are stopped in an ascent position near the roof of the housing 2. When the second disk B is in a loaded mode, they are stopped in a descent position and the second disk B is clamped between the second turntable 7 and the clamp 10. 11 is a guide member which retains and guides the cartridge C of the first disk A.
Next, the operation of the first conventional compatible disk device will be described below.
When the first disk A is played, as shown in FIG. 1(A), the cartridge C is inserted into the guide member 11. Then, the sub-base 3 is raised in a direction of the arrow E in the figure by the operation of the elevating motor M, the first turntable 5 is displaced to the state as shown in FIG. 1(B), that is to say, to a position which abuts with the fixed clamp area in the first disk A. Next, the first disk A is rotated and played by the rotation of the spindle motor 4.
When the second disk B is played, the second disk B is inserted into the gap between the retaining member 8 and the clamp 10. Then, the subbase 3 is raised in the direction of the arrow E in the figure by the operation of the elevating motor M to the state as shown in FIG. 1(C), that is to say, to a position in which the first turntable 5 abuts with the fixed clamp area in the second disk B. At this time, the clamp holder 9 performs a descent operation in a direction of the arrow F in the figure and the second disk B is gripped with the second turntable 7. The guide member 11 performs a refuge operation in a lateral direction in order to create a space to raise the sub-base 3. After this series of operations is completed, the first turntable 5 and the linked second turntable 7 are rotated by the rotation of the spindle motor 4. In this way, the second disk B is rotated and a playing operation is performed.
[Prior Art 2]
FIG. 2, FIG. 3 and FIG. 4(A) to FIG. 4(C) show the structure of a second conventional MD-CD compatible disk device as disclosed for example in JP-A-9-231654. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing main components mounted on a base. FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the structure of a disk holder. FIG. 4(A) to FIG. 4(C) are front views for explaining the refuge operation of a turntable. Constitutive elements of the second conventional compatible disk device which are the same as those of the first conventional compatible disk device are denoted by the same reference numerals and the additional description will be omitted.
As shown in FIG. 2, a long and narrow aperture la which extends to a position proximate to the spindle motor 4 is formed on the base 1, an optical pickup 6 is disposed on a lower face of the base 1 to reciprocate along a longitudinal direction of the aperture 1a. A rotation shaft 12 is attached to the base 1, a retaining arm 13 is attached to the rotation shaft 12 to slide in an axial direction of the rotation shaft 12. A second turntable 7 is retained with a play on the retaining arm 13.
In FIG. 2, reference numeral 14 denotes a gear portion which is formed on the retaining arm 13 and which transmits a driving force of the drive motor 15 through the gear 16 and the gear 17. 18 is a triangular cam which is formed near to the rotation shaft 12 of the base 1 as shown in FIG. 4(A) to FIG. 4(C) and which has a cam face which undulates along a section of the imaginary circle defined by the rotation of the retaining arm 13. 19 is a boss which is formed at a position facing the triangular cam 18 on the rear face of the retaining arm 13 and which slides on the cam face of the triangular cam 18 when the retaining arm 13 is rotated.
In FIG. 3, reference numeral 20 denotes a disk holder assembly which is slidably supported on the base 1 by a support shaft 21. 22 is a box-shaped disk holder which has an aperture 23. A damp 10 is retained with a play on the roof of the disk holder 22, the damp 10 and the disk holder 22 can slide in the direction of the arrow Q1-Q2 in FIG. 3 with respect to the disk holder assembly 20.
Next, the operation of the second conventional MD-CD compatible disk device will be described below.
In a state where the second turntable 7 is loaded on the first turntable 5, when playing a CD as a second disk, the disk holder 22 is displaced in the direction of the arrow Q1 by a driving source (not shown) with the insertion of the CD through the aperture 23. The disk holder assembly 20 pivots downward about the support shaft 21. Then, the clamp 10 presses the CD onto the second turntable 7 and CD loading is completed. Thereafter, the spindle motor 4 is rotated and a playing operation of the CD is commenced.
When an MD is played as a first disk, the insertion of the cartridge (not show) into the aperture 23 of the disk holder 22 is detected by a sensor (not shown), the retaining arm 13 is rotated by the rotational driving force of the drive motor 15 in a direction of the arrow Y through the gear 16, the gear 17 and the gear portion 14. Together with this rotating operation, as shown in FIG. 4(A) to FIG. 4(C), the retaining arm 13 is elevated by the sliding of the boss 19 on the sloping face of the triangular cam 18. As a result, the second turntable 7 which is retained by the retaining arm 13 is rotated and separates from the first turntable 5. After passing the top of the triangular cam 18, the second turntable 7 rotates and is moved downward while refuging from the first disk. The second turn table 7 stops at a position situated on a level free from interference with the cartridge (not shown) of the first disk.
In parallel with this operation, the disk holder 22 is displaced in the direction of the arrow Q1 by the driving source (not shown), the disk holder assembly 20 pivots downwardly about the support shaft 21, and the loading of the cartridge on the first turntable 5 is completed. Thereafter, the spindle motor 4 is rotated and a playing operation of the MD is commenced.
In the first conventional compatible disk device, the problem has arisen that the thickness of the device can not be reduced, since the first turntable 5 and the second turntable 7 are superimposed in a vertical direction when either a first or a second disk are played.
In the second conventional compatible disk device, the problem has arisen that the device can not be downsized due to large dimensions in a direction of depth caused by the second turntable 7 refuging to a position on a level free from interference with the cartridge of the first disk.
Furthermore, in the first and second conventional compatible disk devices, the problem has arisen that the thickness of the device can not be reduced as the inventive idea of refuging both the second turntable 7 and the clamp 10 is not disclosed.
The present invention is proposed to solve the above problems and has the object of providing a compatible disk device which is downsized with respect to dimensions of height and depth.
A compatible disk device according to the present invention can play either of a first disk stored in a cartridge and a second disk not stored in a cartridge, the compatible disk device comprising: a base; a first turntable disposed on the base for transmitting a rotational force to the first disk; a second turntable for transmitting the rotational force to the second disk; a retaining arm for retaining the second turntable with a play; a clamp for clamping the second disk to the second turntable; a clamp arm for retaining the clamp; a support shaft disposed on the base in a position separated from either the first disk supported by the first turntable or the second disk supported by the second turntable; and a sub-base pivotally attached to the support shaft, the sub-base supporting the retaining arm and the clamp arm to be rotatable in a plane parallel to a disk surface of the first disk or the second disk in the layered state and to be elevated in an axial direction of the support shaft.
In such a way, when a first disk is played, the second turntable and/or the clamp arm can be refuged downwardly and in the depths of the device. Thus, it is possible to downsize the depth and the height of the compatible disk device.
According to the present invention, the compatible disk device may further comprise an arm control member for controlling the pivoting of the clamp arm and/or the retaining arm in abutment with a part of the retaining arm and/or the clamp arm.
In such a way, it is possible to limit pivoting of the retaining arm and the clamp arm when a refuge operation is performed, thereby to prevent damage to the second turntable and the clamp.
According to the present invention, the compatible disk device may further comprise a mode switching member adapted to reciprocate along a surface of a base for switching a playing mode for the first disk and a playing mode for the second disk, the mode switching member including an engagement means for rotating the sub-base with respect to the base in response to a displacement of the mode switching member and a cam means for elevating the sub-base with respect to the base in response to the displacement of the mode switching member.
In such a way, it is possible to control an elevation operation and a rotation operation in a planar direction of the second turntable and the clamp by an operation of the mode switching member as a single driving means.
According to the present invention, the compatible disk device may further comprise a retracting arm rotatably attached to the support shaft provided on the base, for retracting the first disk to a predetermined position in the device, the mode switching member being adapted to rotate the retracting arm to a refuge position in the playing mode for the second disk.
In such a way, since the retracting arm is arranged co-axially with the rotation support shaft of the sub-base, it is possible to obtain a compatible disk device in which the refuge mechanism of the clamp and/or the second turntable and the retracting mechanism of the first disk are formed compactly.
According to the present invention, the compatible disk device may further comprise a mode switching member adapted to reciprocate along the surface of the base for switching a first disk playing mode and a second disk playing mode, and an arm control member rotatably attached to the support shaft for controlling the pivoting of the retaining arm and the clamp arm in abutment with a portion of the retaining arm and the clamp arm, the mode switching member having a lever which rotates in cooperation with the subbase and an engaging pin which engages with the arm control member, the arm control member having a first cam section which converts the displacement of the engaging pin into rotation of the arm control member, the lever having a second cam section which converts the displacement of the engaging pin into rotation of the lever, the sub-base being adapted to rotate together with the arm control member through the lever in a first interval in response to the displacement of the mode switching member, the first cam section and the second cam section being adapted to vary a relative angle between the arm control member and the sub-base in a second interval in response to the displacement of the mode switching member.
In this way, it is possible to obtain a compatible disk device which can control the pivoting operation of the second turntable and the clamp in the vertical direction at either a playing position or a refuge position by the operation of a single driving means, namely the mode switching member.